Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-02-05

OF returning to Miss Pink's villa. "Yom
aunt may be getting anxious about YOU" no
said
Isabel led the way out OF tho farm house
in silence She reverted to Mr. Sharon and
the money, however, as they returned by the
path across the fields
81 am sure you will not be offended with
me" she said, gently, 'if own that am
uneasy about the expenses, l am allowing
you to use your purse as If it were mine, and
| have hardly any savings of my own
Moody entreated her not to speak Of it
How can l put my money to better use
than in serving your interestsp he asked
MY one object in life is to relieve you of
your present anxieties. shall be tho hap
piest man living If you only owe a moments
happiness to my exertions"
Isabel took his hand, and looked at him
with grateful tears in her eyes.
"How good you are to me, Mr. Moody~
she said. II wish | could tell you how deeply
feel your kindness"
"You can do it easily" he answered, with
a smile "Call me Robert don't call me
Mr.. Moody'n
She took his arm with q sudden familiarity
that charmed him. eff you had been my
brother should have called you Robert"
she said; land no brother could have been
more devoted to me than you are"
He looked eagerly at her bright face turned
up to his. May never hope to be some
thing nearer and dearer to you than a
brotherg he asked, timidly.
/. She hung her head and said nothing.
Moody's memory recalled Sharon's coarse
reference to her sweetheart" She had
blushed when he put the question. What
had she done when Moody put his question:
Her face answered for her-she had turned
pale; she was looking more serious than
usual Ignorant as he was Of the ways of
women, his instinct told him that this was a
bad sign. Surely her rising color would
have confessed it, If time and gratitude to-
gether were teaching her to love hint He
sighed as the inevitable conclusion forced it.
self on his mind.
81 hope have not offended your" he said,
sadly.
ooh, no."
81 wish I had not spoken Pray don't
think that am serving you with any selfish
motive"
81 don't think that, Robert I never
could think it OF you"
He was not quite satisfied yet. 'Even II
you were to marry some other man." he
went on, earnestly, SIT would make no differ
ence in what am trying to do for you No
matter what might suffer, should still &c
on--for your sake"
"Why do you talk soF' she burst out, pas
sionately mo other man has such claim
as yours to my gratitude and regard. How
can you let such thoughts come to you9
have done nothing in secret have nc
friends who are not known to you. Be salts
fled with that, Robert, and let us drop the
subject"
"Never to take it up again" he asked,
with the infatuated pertinacity of man
clinging to his last hope.
At other times and under other circum
stances Isabel might have answered hin
sharply. She spoke with perfect gentlenes,
now.
mot for the present" she said. 81 DOM
know my own heart Give me time"
His gratitude caught at those words, a,
the drowning man is said to catch at the pro
verbal straw. He lifted her hand, anC
suddenly and fondly pressed his lips on it
She showed no confusion. Was she sorry
for him, poor wretch!-and was that ala
They walked on arm in arm in silence,
Crossing the last field, they entered agar
on the high road leading to the row of villa
in which Miss Pink lived The minds O
both were preoccupied. Neither of then
noticed gentleman approaching on horse
back, followed by mounted groom. H
was advancing slowly, at the walking pac
OF his horse, and he only observed the tive
foot passengers when he was close to them.
Miss Isabelr'
She started, looked up, and discovered
Alfred Hardyman.
He was dressed in perfectly made travel
ing suit of light brown, with peaked fel
hat of darker shade of the same color
which, in a picturesque sense, greatly i'm
proved his personal appearance. His pleasur
at discovering Isabel gave the animation t,
his features which they wanted on ordinary
occasions He sat his horse, a superb hunter
easily aud gracefully His light, amber-col
orel gloves fitted him perfectly. His ODE
diem servant, on another magnificent horse
waited behind him. He looked the imper
sonation of rank and breeding, of wealth
and prosperity. What contrast, in
woman's eyes, to the shy, pale, melanchol,
man in the ill-fitting black clothes, with th
wandering, uneasy glance, who stood beneat
him and felt, and showed that he felt his in
ferior position keenlyl In spite of herself
the treacherous blush flew over Isabel's face
in Moodys presence, and with Moodys ,fe
distrustfully watching her.
This is piece of good fortune that
hardly hoped for" said Hardyman, his cool
quiet, dreary way of speaking quickened, a
usual, In Isabel's presence. II only got bac
from France this morning, and l called o
Lady Lydiard in the hope OF seeing you Sh
was not at home, and you were in the couu
try. and the servants didn't know the addres,
could get nothing out of them, except tina
you were on visit to relation" Helooko
at Moody while he was speaking. "Haven
seen you beforel' he said, carelessly. "Ye'
at Lady Lydiard's. You're her steward, al
YOU mott How dye dor Moody, with h
eyes on the ground, answered silently by
bow. Hardyman, perfectly Indifferent
whether Lady Lydiard's steward spoke c
not, turned on his saddle and looked admit
ingly at Isabel II begin TO think my luc
has turned at last" he went on, with smil'
II was jogging along to my farm and d
spairing OF ever seeing Miss Isabel again
and Mss Isabel herself meets me ct the roaa
sidei wonder whether you are as glad
see me as am to see you'll You won't to
me, chi May ! ask you something elses-al
You staying In our neighborhoodF